Lucknow: No matter how much the Uttar Pradesh Energy Minister, Ramveer Upadhyay tries to escape the ire of the Lokayukta, he has been instructed to reply to the notices issued against him by February 17. The relatives of the minister too have been instructed to reply to the Lokayukta.

The Lokayukta is investigating the matter after a complaint was registered by a resident of Hatharas Ashwini Kumar Sharma against the state Energy Minister.

Lokayukta Justice NK Mehrotra told that Ramveer was granted time till February 10 to respond on the accusations leveled against him but the Energy Minister in view if his involvement in assembly elections had pleaded that he should be given time till the election results are announced.

Lokayukta said that it could not give unlimited time to the minister and instructed him to reply by February 17.

Another accused in the case Manoj Chaturvedi who was required to file details of the properties he gifted to Energy Minister's father Ramcharan Upadhyay, sister-in-law Ritu Upadhayay, and sister-in-law Kalpana Upadhayay had also written a letter to the Lokayukta for granting time till February 28. He too has been instructed to respond by February 17.

After it was revealed that the minister’s family members got contracts worth crore of rupees in the Aligarh Circle, the superintendent engineer was asked by the Lokayukta to reply by February 15 in this regard.

On the other hand, two out of the three cases of irregularities against the Cabinet Minister Naseemuddin Siddiqui and his MLC wife Husana Siddiqui are in the final phase of the investigation held by the Lokayukta.

It is expected to submit its report before the Chief Minister by next week.

Lokayukta Justice NK Mehrotra informed that evidences have been collected. The couple has been charged of submitting wrong election affidavit, involvement in the Bundhelkhand Development fund scam, exercising irregularities in mining leases and illegal possessions of assets worth crores.